Defense sparks 2nd-half charge

Boys hoops: St. Joseph sets up Catholic League final date with Providence.

Jordan Ash had good timing Wednesday against Fenwick.

The St. Joseph senior guard smacked Mike Smith's layup off the backboard early in the third quarter, igniting a defensive revival that sparked the No. 10 Chargers to 67-54 win over the Friars in a Catholic League semifinal at St. Ignatius.

The Chargers (22-5) will take on upstart Providence in Saturday's title game at DePaul University.

Before Ash's block, the Chargers lacked energy and Smith torched them for 17 first-half points.

The Friars (19-7) made their first attempt of the third quarter before Ash's block, but then missed their next eight shots before Smith, who finished with 26 points, scored in the fourth.

"We tried being more aggressive on the defensive end in the second half," said St. Joseph junior center Nick Rakocevic, who had 16 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks. "We did a great job not turning the ball over, and we executed our offense and did a better job containing Smith."

The 6-foot-11 Rakocevic was a force on offense and defense in the final two quarters after scoring four first-half points. He attacked the boards for putback baskets and ignited fast breaks with his blocks.

"They controlled the tempo in the first half, but we did a better job defensively in the second half," St. Joseph coach Gene Pingatore said. "The second half, Nick settled in."

The Friars played without Jamal Nixon (season-ending knee injury) and Jacob Keller (flu), leaving Smith to shoulder most of the offensive load. He failed to score in the third quarter after Glynn Watson clamped down.

"I just tried to play him straight up," Watson said. "We were forcing him to his right, then we started forcing him in more. Everybody was on help and that made a big difference."